Fruit Salad

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

1. Apple + grapetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together1,659 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper, earthy).

2. Walnut + lettucetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together491 recipes

   Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).

3. Celery + lettucetop 4% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together2,033 recipes

   Shared aroma: nonanal (fat, citrus).

4. Celery + walnuttop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together852 recipes

   Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).

5. Grape + walnuttop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together1,427 recipes

   Shared aroma: 1-hexanal (fruit).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Celery

Adds a crisp, fresh crunch that contrasts with the softer fruit.

Apples

Add crisp texture and natural sweetness.

Grapes

Add juiciness and mild sweetness.

English walnuts

Add crunch and a nutty, slightly bitter flavor.

Mayonnaise

Adds moisture and richness that binds the salad together.

Swap the apple

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (celery, grape, walnut, lettuce):

1. Avocadofits better
2. Figfits better
3. Cherryfits better
4. Applethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against celery, grape, walnut, lettuce. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.